State funding for public schools has remained stagnant or decreased for the past five years. Districts with low property values have no way to supplement that aid, leaving Illinois with one of the most inequitable funding scenarios in the nation.
But a plan approved by the State Board of Education on Wednesday would increase state funding to all but the wealthiest districts, by shifting about $300 million from special education into the general school funding formula.
Only the wealthiest districts would see a decrease, and it would be less than 1 percent.
State Superintendent of Schools Tony Smith said the proposal aligns with the board’s priority of sending funds to the kids who need it the most.
“You can run every district through this and there’s no unexpected winner or loser,” he said, referring to opposition to previous funding proposals. "I think it works out to 77 percent of high-need students benefit in this model.”
Springfield schools would gain about $280 per student; Champaign would lose about $37 per student. All districts would still have to provide the same level of special education services as before.
As the board unanimously voted to send the request to lawmakers, one member fretted that legislators would try to take credit for the redistribution of funds. But Chairman James Meeks said that would be okay with him.
“I think at this point, we’ve played games with our kids long enough, and that at the end of the day, it makes no difference who takes the credit for it,” Meeks said. "We just want to make sure that the money is there for the kids, at the end of the day.”
Several board members responded to Meeks’ remarks by saying “amen."
But it’s far from a done deal. With the legislature gridlocked and the state in deficit spending, all budget decisions are still up in the air.